Gallery: Life and reign of King Juan Carlos of Spain

Ruth Dunley, Canada.com06.01.2014

Spanish King Juan Carlos (L), and Queen Sofia wave as they appear on the balcony of the royal palace after the wedding ceremony of Crown Prince Feleipe de Bourbon and Letizia Ortiz May 22, 2004 in Madrid. Ian Waldie, Getty Images.Ian Waldie, Getty Images
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Prince Juan Carlos of Spain (C-right) (Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón) and his wife princess Sofia of Greece (C), pictured 14 May 1962 in Athens during their wedding. Juan Carlos' grandfather Alfonso XIII was King of Spain until deposed in 1931 by the Second Spanish Republic. The Republic was ended by the Spanish Civil War and followed by the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, who ruled until his death 20 November 1975. Juan Carlos was designated King of Spain 22 November 1975. Queen Sofía was born in Athens Nov. 2 1938. She was the first daughter of King Paul I of Greece. Her family was forced to flee Greece during World War II. Prince Constantine of Greece is on the left, first row. File photo, AFP/Getty Images.File photo, AFP/Getty Images
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Prince Juan Carlos of Spain (R) and his wife Princess Sofia of Greece, in the 1960s. Prince Juan Carlos was born in Rome, where his grandfather Alfonso XIII of Spain had exiled after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic. File photo, AFP/Getty Images.File photo, AFP/Getty Images
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This is a Nov. 22, 1975 file photo King Juan Carlos speaking during his first official address as King. File, AP Photo.File, AP Photo
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This is a May 1973 file photo of Spain's leader Francisco Franco, left, with his future successor as King, Prince Juan Carlos de Borbon, as they watch a military parade in Madrid. File, AP Photo.File, AP Photo
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A file photo taken on Oct. 31, 1975 shows Prince Juan Carlos of Spain playing with his son Don Felipe driving a cart, in the gardens of Zarzuela Palace in Madrid. File photo, AFP/Getty Images.File photo, AFP/Getty Images
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A file photo taken in February 1976 shows King Juan Carlos of Spain and his wife Queen Sophia of Greece, playing with their children Crown Prince Felipe, 8, and daughter Elena, 12, in Zarzuela Palace in Madrid. File photo, AFP/Getty Images.File photo, AFP/Getty Images
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A file photo taken in February 1976 shows King Juan Carlos of Spain playing with his son Crown Prince Felipe, 8, in Zarzuela Palace in Madrid. File photo, AFP/Getty Images.File photo, AFP/Getty Images.
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A Nov. 14, 1999 file photo of Cuba's President Fidel Castro, left, and King of Spain Juan Carlos as they wave upon the King's arrival at the Havana airport. Ricardo Mazalan, AP Photo.Ricardo Mazalan, AP Photo
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A file photo taken on February 17, 1999 shows Spanish King Juan Carlos listening to local entertainers in Soweto, during an official visit to South Africa. Odd Andersen, AFP/Getty Images.Odd Andersen, AFP/Getty Images
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This file picture taken on July 25, 1999 shows King Juan Carlos of Spain waving as he walks out the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela after the Santiago pilgrimage mass. Pedro Armestreeric Cabanis. AFP/Getty Images.Pedro Armestreeric Cabanis. AFP/Getty Images
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A file photo taken on May 22, 2004 shows Spanish Crown Prince Felipe of Spain (C-R) his wife Princess of Asturias Letizia Ortiz and King Juan Carlos of Spain (third row, 4th L) and Queen Sofia (third row, 4th R), posing for a family photo at the Royal Palace in Madrid. Odd Andersen, AFP/Getty Images.Odd Andersen, AFP/Getty Images
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A file photo taken on May 22, 2004 shows Spanish Crown Prince Felipe of Bourbon (2ndL) and his wife Princess of Asturias Letizia Ortiz (2ndR) toasting next to King Juan Carlos of Spain and Queen Sofia during a reception at the Royal Palace in Madrid. Ballesteros/AFP/Getty Images.Ballesteros/AFP/Getty Images
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A file photo taken on May 22, 2004 shows Spanish Crown Prince Felipe of Bourbon (L) receiving a kiss from his father Juan Carlos of Spain during a reception in Madrid's Royal Palace. Ballesteros/AFP/Getty Images.Ballesteros/AFP/Getty Images
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A file photo taken on October 11, 2005 shows Spain's King Juan Carlos (R) chatting with his son Prince Felipe before a meeting of Army Defence chiefs at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid. Javier Soriano, AFP/Getty Images.Javier Soriano, AFP/Getty Images
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This file picture taken on Dec. 24, 2005 shows King Juan Carlos of Spain delivering his Christmas wishes to the country from Zarzuela Palace in Madrid. Ballesteros, AFP/Getty Images.Ballesteros, AFP/Getty Images
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A file photo taken on April 12, 2009 shows (fromL) Spanish Crown Prince Felipe, his father King Juan Carlos I, his mother Queen Sofia, his wife Princess Letizia, and his two daugthers Sofia and Leonor (down) posing for a family photo before the traditional Easter Mass of Resurection in Palma de Mallorca. Jaime Reina, AFP/Getty Images.Jaime Reina, AFP/Getty Images
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Prince William speaks to King Juan Carlos of Spain during the UEFA Champions League Final match between Manchester United and Barcelona at the Stadio Olimpico on May 27, 2009 in Rome, Italy. Shaun Botterill, Getty Images.Shaun Botterill, Getty Images
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King Juan Carlos of Spain, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Queen Sofia of Spain are received at Zarzuela Palace on day two of a three day visit to Spain on March 31, 2011 in Madrid. Chris Jackson, Getty Images.Chris Jackson, Getty Images
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Prince Felipe of Spain, aged 46, is to succeed his father Juan Carlos, King of Spain. Felipe, Prince of Asturias, is the third child and only son of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain. In this handout photo provided by the Royal Press Department, Princess Letizia of Spain, Prince Felipe of Spain and their children, Princesses Leonor and Sofia pose at Zarzuela Palace on September 15, 2012 in Madrid. Cristina García Rodero/Royal Press Department via Getty Images.Cristina García Rodero/Royal Press Department via Getty Images
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A picture provided on June 2, 2014 shows Spain's King Juan Carlos addressing the nation following his abdication at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid. AFP/Getty Images.AFP/Getty Images
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A handout picture provided on June 2, 2014 shows the letter of abdication written by Spain's King Juan Carlos and reading "For the proper constitutional purposes, I attach the document which I read, sign and deliver to the president of the government in this act, through which I communicate my decision to abidcate the Crown of Spain." AFP Photo/Casa Real.AFP Photo/Casa Real
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Customers go about their daily life in a Madrid bar as King Juan Carlos of Spain announces on television his plans to abdicate on June 2, 2014 in Madrid, Spain. Denis Doyle, Getty Images.Denis Doyle, Getty Images
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King Juan Carlos of Spain announced his abdication on Monday. Here’s a look back at his life and 39-year reign in photographs.

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